The present invention relates to a computer system having an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) management facility capable of handling non-open systems as managed objects of the OSI model as described in the International Organization for Standardization, 7498-4 "Management Framework."
Conventionally, the managed objects of the OSI management system described in the International Organization for Standardization, 7498-4 "Management Framework" should be open systems capable of "autonomous management" and "co-operation with other open systems . . . to perform and coordinate management activities". For this reason, non-open systems, such as MODEM's and Private Branch Exchanges (PBX's), which do not have the seven-layers of the OSI model and cannot execute OSI management protocols, are not objects of OSI management. Consequently, it is difficult to build a comprehensive OSI management system capable of managing such non-open systems.
Modifying a non-open system, such as a MODEM, so as to enable it to execute the first through seventh-layer of OSI protocols would be extremely difficult, because the OSI protocols for systems such as a MODEM, would require the MODEM to have a greater number of functions and responsibilities than conventional MODEMs typically have.
An object of the present invention is to provide a computer system for implementing an OSI management system to permit the incorporation of non-open systems under the OSI model without requiring the modification of the non-open systems.